‘Win or Lose’ Transgender Actress Speaks Out After Disney Cuts Role

EXCLUSIVE: In 2020, Chanel Stewart was scrolling through X when she happened upon a post about how Pixar was looking for an authentic, 14-year-old transgender girl to voice a transgender teenager in a new animated series.

Stewart, who as a 14-year-old had already logged a few commercials, knew immediately that this was the role of her life.

“I was exactly what they wanted to a T, which is why it felt so right. It just felt so right,” says Stewart, who is a transgender girl from Los Angeles. “I immediately asked my mother if I could do it, because I just felt that if I didn’t do this, it wouldn’t make sense. Do you know what I mean?”

Stewart eventually scored the voiceover job Win or losewhich revolves around a middle school co-ed softball team named the Pickles in the week leading up to their big championship game. Stewart couldn’t wait to share the news with her friends.

“Oh my God, it was crazy,” the now 18-year-old recalls. “I wore it like a badge. I wore it with pride. I wore it with honor because it meant so much to me. The idea of ​​authentically portraying a transgender teenage girl made me really happy. I wanted to make this for transgender kids like me .”

So when Disney called Monday night to tell his mother, Keisha Win or lose would no longer include a transgender storyline, both she and Chanel were heartbroken. (Disney released a statement saying “when it comes to animated content for younger audiences, we recognize that many parents would prefer to discuss certain topics with their children on their own terms and timeline.”)

“It was upsetting because my daughter is transgender and this is her life. I felt it was very important that we not hide that fact,” Stewart’s mother Keisha told Deadline. “There may be some parents out there who not ready to have that conversation, but that’s the world we live in and everyone should be represented. Everyone deserves to be recognized. And it felt like it was just another setback for the LGBTQ community because it’s very hard on transgender teenagers…transgender, period. Especially when you’re young and you’re trying to figure out how to navigate this world that you live in and be able to grow into your own person.”

“I was very discouraged,” adds Stewart. “From the moment I got the script, I was excited to share my journey to help empower other trans youth. I knew this would be a very important conversation. Trans stories matter and they deserve to be heard.”

By cutting the transgender storyline, Disney eliminated “a few lines of dialogue” from an episode that refer to a character’s gender identity. Stewart was not at liberty to share details with Deadline about her character, but was told by Disney that she is “still a big part of the show.”

“It’s just that my character would now be a cis girl, a straight cis girl,” says Chanel Stewart, who is repped by KEY Talent Management and Innovative Artists. “So yeah, that’s all they really told me and that I was still part of the show.”

But there’s one thing Disney can’t take away from Stewart. “I’m definitely one of the first (transgender girls) to do this!” Stewart says of her voiceover performance. “It’s a true honor to be a part of queer history.”

Win or losewhich features Will Forte as the voice of softball coach Dan, will begin rolling out on Disney+ starting February 19, 2025.